


Fate is Cruel

by Savvy_Angel



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, aot, snk - Fandom
Genre: Alpha Levi, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Anxiety, Arranged Marriage, Bottom Eren Yeager, Bullying, Cutting, Depressed Eren Yeager, Depression, Detached Levi, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Falling In Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Omega Eren Yeager, Omegaverse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Abuse, Scent Marking, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, TRIGGERWARNINGS, Top Levi, Triggers, Unrequited Love, Verbal Abuse, a/o/b, broken home
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-10-11 21:46:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10475127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savvy_Angel/pseuds/Savvy_Angel
Summary: Levi is a broken man from a broken home. The son of a mother so desperate, she was forced into prostitution. First, a father that he never knew, then an abusive and negligent step-father that was never home. After the untimely death of his mother, Levi is constantly handed off to different relatives. Finally, after being kicked out of his home by his grandmother, he's about ready to give up...until he meets Erwin; officially. Hopeful now, Levi discovers that Erwin knows his long-lost uncle. A young teen, he's taken under the wings of a happy, self-created family. Or so he thought.Eren is tormented soul, with a haunting past. Once the son of a happy family, Eren now serves only to provide amusement and entertainment for his alcoholic father, who has practically gone mad over the loss of his wife; Eren's mother. After the death of his mother, then the rapid flight of his sister, Eren is left all alone, abused, depressed, and with no one to turn to. Things couldn't possibly get worse. Until they do.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4P35zCknzE





	1. Prologue: Abandoned

     Squalling and fussing, a new mother gently cradled her precious newborn baby, attempting to afford him some kind of comfort despite the cold, dark, dampness that surrounded them. Clutching the priceless bundle against her chest, delicately, she pulled back the corner of a ratty blanket to reveal an adorably pink and chubby face. She couldn't help but smile. Even when everything had gone so wrong, even as the world shattered around her, this little child could make everything okay again. Rocking him back and forth, she shushed him softly.

"Shh...it's alright. Mommy has you...Yes, there there," she soothed, "Do you know what?" she whispered.  
     

     The baby stalled his crying, as if he were listening.

"I may not be the best mother. I may not be able to give you the life you deserve, and I can only hope you'll forgive me for that. But know, that I will give you the best life I can, or die trying."

  
     Smiling down at her swaddled child, she spoke softly once again.

  
"I'm going to name you Levi. Levi Ackerman. Because Levi means revival. That's what you've done for me, and you'll need to keep doing it; for yourself."

  
     Pressing a soft kiss to his forehead, Kuchel once again replaced the fabric over her son's face. And with the bitter cold wind as her wings, she disappeared like a ghost into the night.

  
     Unfortunately, she had no idea just how accurate her words would be.  
************************************************************************

  
  9 Years Later

     It was happening again. The walls shook and shivered, windows rattled in their sills. Dark shadows reared angrily, and stretched down the hall. The only light in the house was far too bright, and it was the reason that the frightening, animalistic silhouettes seemed to be right in front of the door. Clawed hands crept under the crack of the door, reaching out for him, begging to be let in. But the shadows, no matter how chilling, were nothing compared to the screams and shouts. As soon as they had started, he had retreated. Now, as Kuchel and her step-husband fought savagely; Levi curled up. With one arm wrapped around his knees pulling them tightly to his chest, his other arm and hand, covered his mouth; to muffle the screams and sobs that were wrenched from his convulsing body. Trying to soothe himself, he rocked back and forth gently, but nothing could block out the sickening thud that was most certainly hard knuckles driving into soft, abused skin. This was his only place of safety. Levi had spent more nights locked in this godforsaken closet in his godforsaken house more nights then he would ever want to remember. The sins of this house....fell like raindrops from every pore. Glistening red testified to the innocent blood shed here. Another ungodly shriek rattled the house, and Levi flinched as the window shattered. What scared him the most, wasn't the screams, nor the sounds of impact. What terrified him, was the absolute silence he knew would come. And in that silence, Levi would pray, pray to whatever lay above, that this monster, did not kill him. Resistance brought punishment. Punishment brought pain. Pain brought fear. Fear gave way to anger. Anger turned to beatings. Beatings turned to silence. And silence...turned to death. Levi knew. He had _felt_ the brutal sting of his step-father’s hand. He knew all too well the vicious kicks which accompanied _that_ tone. As the shouting escalated, Levi felt himself reaching a breaking point and pressed his hands over his ears. He didn’t want to hear it anymore. _I can't take it!_ an insane sounding voice shrieked at him deafeningly. He didn’t want to hear his mother’s tortured cries as her terrible alpha mate beat her within inches of her life. But most of all, he didn’t want to sit and do nothing. At this thought, tears flooded his eyes. _He's gonna kill mommy._ _He’s hurting her. And there’s nothing I can do….He’s coming for me next! Any moment, those screams will stop...and then it will be my turn."_

  
     Levi shuddered and wrapped his arms more tightly around himself. His heart raced, and tears, hot and burning scorched their way down his face. In a sudden surge of courage, he looked up, and uncovered his ears, just in time to hear Kuchel begging for it to stop. Begging for him to stop. Instantly, Levi’s eyes hardened, as did his resolve.

  
_Someone has to stop this. It’s not right._ I _have to stop this._

  
     And with that thought, he pushed himself to his feet. Throwing open the closet door he stalked down the hallway towards the light that spilled from the open door. Musing to himself, he thought about how inviting that light should have looked. Instead, it was harsh and only made him want to flee. Flee from the light, the only one left on when all the violence started. Levi froze as soon as he stood in the doorway. Blood was spattered everywhere. Rapidly, his gaze searched for his mother. He was relieved, but still angry to find that the blood was only streaming from her nose, and that her chest still rose and fell at a steady pace. What happened next was completely beyond Levi’s control.

  
“You!” he screamed, the word ripping out of his throat more like a growl than a word. Snarling, Levi felt warm blood drip down the back of his torn throat. Turning to face his step-father, Levi allowed all his fear and anger to saturate his scent, hoping to overwhelm this wretched man. Hoping to make him feel, all the way to his rotten core, just how much Levi despised and hated him.

  
     And without a second thought, Levi lunged forward, hands clawing and scratching for purchase. At last, his fingers wrapped around the man’s throat, suffocating him. If only things had gone the way he had planned.  
*************************************************************************

  
7 Years Later

     Levi gently felt his eyes close as warm hands caressed his body. Lips, comforting and soft pressed against his own speaking words he could never say. Sighing, he tangled his fingers deeper into wheat blonde locks as he pulled the other boy in front of him closer. That was his only thought.

  
_Closer, closer...closer._

  
     New emotions whirled inside of Levi as their kiss continued. He had never felt so at peace. He had never felt so loved. But the moment didn’t last. Pleasure turned to panic, comfort into pain, peace into terror, as the door was thrown open and love soured.

  
“Levi Ackerman!”

  
     Strong hands on his arms, forcefully pulling him away. Screaming, he reached forward, trying to cling to this one scrap of happiness he had found. Tears filled his eyes despite his best efforts to hold them back. Kicking and crying he tried to reach him, but it wasn’t enough.

  
     Levi shivered in the cold darkness. With only a thin jacket and 5 dollars, upon being found out as homosexual, his grandmother had immediately disowned him and turned him out to the streets. Anger flared in his veins, his fist clenching and crumpling the money he held. The last time he had felt this furious was when- Flinching he shoved the unbidden memory to the back of his mind. But it still wasn’t enough to stop the pain that struck through his heart.

  
     Why had this happened to him? What had he done to deserve the hell he was living through? Abused, broken, alone, frightened, livid; Levi was overwhelmed with the rush flowing through his body. But above all, ringing out loud and clear like a bell cutting through his thoughts, one word came.

Abandoned.


	2. Abused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren was so bright. Like a star, he burned like everyday was his last. But that light has long gone out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be trigger warnings for almost every chapter. In this chapter, Levi's current situation is written, Eren and his home life are introduced. Grisha is an abusive alcoholic. His is also emotionally/mentally abusive and manipulative. He enjoys toying with Eren and his mental state, so if this will be too painful, don't read.

January 27   

Levi glared over at his alarm as it blared loudly. He had been up since 2 A.M, so the 6 o'clock reminder only served to irritate him. Standing from his desk, he slammed the undeserving clock with enough force to break it. Turning back to his work, he straightened his pens and pencils, scooped his papers into his hand, shuffling them before laying them in his briefcase. Finally, he turned off the desk lamp, and with one last look in the mirror to ensure his appearance was flawless, he left his darkened room without looking back.

     Upon arriving to the office,  Levi pushed easily past the grand glass double doors. Shined black dress shoes clacking against white polished marble, he strode across the luxurious empty lobby to the elevators. Removing his security card, he presented his ID to the scanner in the machine, allowing him access to the corporate company's upper floors. 

     As soon as he had stepped out of the elevator, Levi knew something was up. The executive floor, usually bustling with assistants and chatter seemed deserted. Perhaps there was a meeting in progress that he didn't know of? That could be the only explanation...Shaking his head in an attempt to quell the rising sense of foreboding, Levi slipped behind the front desk where he knew he would find a cup of steaming black tea waiting for him. True to his assumption, Levi grasped the hot ceramic glass gratefully, allowing the warmth to soak into his cold-numbed fingers. Smirking a little, he took a small sip.  _What would I do without Petra? I really need to thank her sometime...._

     Interrupting Levi's train of thought, he managed to conceal his surprise as the door to the company president's door flew open. Standing there, was no one other than his uncle, Kenny Ackerman, President of Shiganshina Incorporated. Just barely able to see over his uncle's shoulder, he was less than pleased to see a pair of broad shoulders and a well-managed head of two-toned blonde hair. Scowling, he accessed the last man standing with them, only to find he didn't know him. Shaking hands with him enthusiastically, Kenny looked ecstatic, and Levi felt his stomach twist in knots. His uncle was by far his kindest relative, but that didn't mean that Levi trusted him. After a few more moments of lively and animated conversation, the two seemed to reach an agreement, and the unknown man strode over to the elevator, brushing Levi on his way. Pressing the button for the bottom floor, Levi caught a quick glimpse of the man as the doors were closing. Instantly, he felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. Scenting the air, he picked up the distinct scent of an unfamiliar alpha. But this wasn't what unnerved him. What put him on edge, was the demonic looking smile he flashed Levi before he was gone. That smile...reminded him far too much of... _him._

     Not having much time to reflect on this, Levi turned, only to find the same broad shoulders he had seen moments ago right in front of him. Scowling, he lowered his eyes to his tea cup, staring down into the swirling black depths.

"Good morning, Levi," Erwin said, his voice deep and rumbling. Levi suppressed a shiver at how husky Erwin's voice sounded when Levi's name dripped off his lips.

Curtly, he answered, "Erwin," and continued to glare at his tea. He hated how much Erwin threw him off. He hated that Erwin could tell. He hated the effect the blonde brute had on him despite Levi's absolute loathing of the man.

Shrugging, Erwin turned and addressed Kenny. He knew that as amusing as toying with Levi was, it wouldn't be nearly as fun when he was in this mood.

"Keith, are you going to tell him?"

     Head snapping up, Levi fixed his smoldering gunmetal eyes on his uncle.

"Woah," the man chuckled, holding up his hands, "easy Levi. You look like you're about to try and kill me," he smiled, still chuckling. Whatever that conversation had been about, it had gone well. 

"That depends," Levi answered, trying to keep the murderous and suspicious tone out of his voice, "what is it that you have to tell me?"

     Instead of answering, Kenny's face brightened. Levi's frown, however, increased. He wanted the man to be intimidated, not giddy like an idiot.

"Well, I have some good news Levi," he replied carefully, the look in his eyes saying that he was carefully gauging his nephew's response.

     Levi folded his arms.

"This should be good," he muttered.

"That man you just saw, his name is Grisha Jeager, and he has provided us with something of infinite worth."

     Levi arched one brow in silent question.

"His son, Eren, recently presented as an omega. As you know, the Jeagers are a very prestigious family, and according to some testing we've done, he's extremely compatible."

     Levi's mind started to spin. What was going on? What was Kenny not telling him? Compatible with who?

"He has agreed, for a price of course, to wed his son... We've found you a mate Levi!"

*************************************************************************************

                                                                                                                 2 Days Earlier 

 Eren shuddered as he heard the hollow sound of shattering bottles. Grisha had come home drunk. Again. And while he may have been willing to stand up to his father before, Eren had found that it was much easier simply to avoid him. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to have the luck of being alone tonight. Looking up from the textbook he was studying, Eren found his father standing in the doorway accompanied of course, by a slamming door, reeking, noxious pheromones, and his ever present bottle of alcohol. 

"Eren..." he slurred, swaying slightly, "You useless piece of shit. Why can't you be good for something?" 

     Eren ignored him, and went back to reading. But this made Grisha furious. The spicy, tangy scent of anger coursed through the air.

"Hey!" he shouted, flinging the now empty bottle. 

     Eren flinched as it flew just past his head. He had actually  _felt_   it ruffle his hair. Looking up now, he clenched his jaw to control his rising temper. Anger was never wise. Fighting fire with fire, was never a good strategy; especially when your dad was willing to kill you for the slightest slip up.

"Yes?" he asked calmly.

"Look at me when I talk to you, garbage," he snarled, "Where is dinner?"

     Eren's stomach fell suddenly.  _Oh no._

"I...I forgot," he answered, "I have a test tomorrow, and I've been studying ever since I got home."

     He was interrupted from explaining any further when Grisha yelled-

"I don't give two shits about your test! Who provides for you? Who puts food on the table and clothes on your back? Who's taken care of you all these years? I go to work, every damn day for you, fucking brat. And you aren't even grateful. Maybe I should make you start earning your keep huh?! Make you work for the food and other comforts I freely give you? Should I sell your worthless, shitty beta-ass into fucking prostitution? Tell you to earn some of the damn money and then come back and tell me, 'gee, thanks dad for working so hard for such a useless shit like me'! It's a fucking miracle I haven't pawned you off yet; and I probably would have sooner, except for the fact that NOBODY FUCKING WANTS YOU OR EVER WILL!! YOU WORTHLESS TRASHY BETA! I bet you'd like that huh? Getting the chance to have someone _pay_ to fuck you? No one's ever gonna want to touch you; you're that. fucking. _disgusting_ , " Grisha sneered. Satisfied with his insults, he let his wounding words sink in before pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation and continuing, "I leave you home all day. I work all damn day, and you can't EVEN MAKE ME DINNER?!?! YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING. You'll never make up for her!"

     With this, Eren flinched. He knew who Grisha was talking about. Carla, his wife; Eren's mother. While the words dealt their damage, the worst part was the look on his father's face, the look of complete belief and certainty in his words that stung. He truly thought that Eren was worthless. He truly believed that Eren would never be as precious as his mother. He truly did hate his only son, and would gladly sell him off to gain more money for his liquor fund. But Grisha wasn't done.

"You killed her!" he shrieked, "It's all your fault she's gone! I'd give up my soul and kill you in an instant if that could reverse her death! The only reason I _ever_ loved you was because of her!"

     Now Eren snapped. He recalled that his mother had once told him true strength was restraint. _Sorry Mom._ Tears filling his eyes at the thought of his deceased mother, Eren felt his barely maintained calm shatter under the burden of guilt he carried.

"Mom," he shouted. Now Grisha looked confused, but Eren didn't care. And he didn't stop either, "Mom has cared for me all these years. She's been there more for me than you ever have. She's a thousand times the person you will ever be, and honestly, I don't know how she ever loved you in the first place. She would be sick, no disgusted, to see what you've become. I HOPE YOU NEVER GET TO SEE HER AGAIN!" Eren shouted, his face was flushed and he was panting from screaming so loud.

     Surprisingly, silence answered him, but that was immensely worse. Looking into his father's dead eyes, he could see the cold fury burning there. 

"Is that so? Eren?" he asked, coldly, with calculation.

    Eren swallowed. There was no going back now. 

"Yes." he answered, scowling at the drunken man before him. Eren would never refer to this man as father. As far as he was concerned, his father had died with his mother. This...this...monster before him was simply the result of cruel fate, and psychological trauma. 

The room was suddenly permeated the mixing scents of alcohol and wrath. Had Eren not been beta, he surely would have been overwhelmed.

"Eren, come here," Grisha commanded.

     Eren flinched away. He should never have said anything. 

"Now!" Grisha snarled, "I will not ask again."

****************************************************

                                                                                                      The Next Day

     Eren groaned as he cracked one eye open. Everything was still blurry. Wincing, he sat up, surprised that he could even move after the barbaric beating he had received from Grisha. Rubbing his eyes, he cleared away the sleep and fog, allowing him to see clearly. Glancing around the room, he instantly saw the aftermath of Grisha's drunken madness. Furniture was tipped over everywhere. Picture and paintings hung completely askew. Fingernail marks scarred the walls, evidence of a vain attempt to escape. Blood, crimson gone brown, stained his carpet, covered the walls in horrifying hand prints, and left a suffocating metallic scent hanging heavily in the air. It looked like the scene of a gruesome murder. Eren smiled bitterly. Murder or not, this was definitely the scene of a grotesque crime. 

     Heaving himself to his feet, Eren clutched at a nearby dresser to support him. The room was spinning and going dark around the edges. He must have taken a good hit to the head. Lowering himself to hands and knees, he crawled carefully to the bathroom. Groaning as his sore muscles stretched, Eren used the counter to hoist himself up, enabling him to scrutinize his reflection in the mirror. _Damn_ Grisha had left a lot of marks. Thankfully, the evident bruising on his neck was light. He couldn't say the same for the rest of his body, however. Lifting his tattered blood-stained shirt, nasty purple, greenish-yellow bruises littered his torso. Near his ribs, he sported a long gash. The skin around the wound was angry and swollen, and very warm.  _Shit. It must be infected._ Tenderly, his fingers probed the cut, but he stopped immediately as hot jolting pain electrified his whole left side. Eren felt his eyes roll back as his left leg trembled and threatened to collapse. After recovering, he simply assessed the scrape with his eyes. This time he noticed how clean the edges of the laceration were. Eyeing dark red tissue showing through the layers, Eren realized that he was seeing muscle. _Fuck. It's deeper than I thought...Maybe he used a knife?_ Shuddering, Eren decided that pondering on this would only enrage him. Forgetting temporarily about the cut, he quickly gauged the rest of his injuries. He determined that he would try and get dressed.

    Halfway through getting ready, as he was struggling to pull his shirt over his head, Eren heard shuffling in the room next to his. Freezing mid-tug, he listened intently for more noises. He needed to get out of here quickly. Even if he didn't go to school, he  _had_ to be out of the house. Grisha was almost as bad when he was hung-over, as he was when drunk. Swiftly, Eren finished dressing, and snatching his school bag off the desk, quietly made a bee-line for the front door. Upon reaching it, Grisha's door creaked open. Wild pounding rattled the walls. Not staying to look back, Eren fled. Wincing as he exerted his abused body, he went as fast as his injuries would allow. Those sounds...they terrified him. The crazed pounding and shrieking, always reminded him of a caged beast.

******************************************************

     As Eren walked to school, he tugged at the collar of his shirt.  _Why is it so hot out? It's the middle of Janu-fucking-ary._  Shrugging to himself, Eren figured he must have a fever. It wouldn't be the first time. Chuckling sourly, he thought to himself,  _what does it matter? Either way, healthy or sick, happy or  sad, he will never care. And I will always have to return to that place. That hellhole. I'm just his dog. His obedient dog._ _Chained to him for the rest of my-_

    Eren interrupted his own train of thought as he felt his face flush and felt all the blood in his body rush to his head.  _What?-_ Clutching his dizzy head, Eren's vision was completely hijacked when he scented the air. _Mmmhh...what was that smell? Whoever that was...they had mated recently._ At the thought, Eren let out a loud whine. He wanted to be mated! He wanted to be held down and _fucked_ , long and hard. Blushing at such _dirty_ , embarrassing thoughts, Eren's eyes widened as hot, wet slick coursed from his body, coating his thighs and nether-regions in the slippery, slimy lubricant.  _Wait...what?! No...no! What's going o-...This can't be happening!_ Panic rose in his chest, struggling to escape.  _I'm beta, not omega....I have to be beta! He'll-he'll...I'm dead._ Eren felt tears slipping down his face.  _I am so dead. He's going to kill me! Or sell me off to a breeding house. What do I do? There's no where to hide, I either face being raped by the alphas out here, or him...Wait! Calm down. Maybe I'm not omega...maybe I'm just allergic to something! Or maybe betas have stress responses similar to heat, or-_

    Eren's doubt was completely swept away as a new wave of heat hit him, more slick dripping down his legs, making him whimper. Despite this cruel assurance of his fate, he tried again to calm himself. _I'm beta. I'm beta. I'm beta I'm beta I'm beta I'm beta I'm beta I'm beta I'm-_ he repeated, as if he could change his secondary gender's mind. 

"Oh..."

    Eren jumped forward as hot, rancid breath tickled his ear.

"Hello there, little sweetheart-" hissed the viscous voice again, dripping like sickeningly sweet honey.

     Shaking, Eren stood with his head lowered in shame, unable to turn around and face his attacker with dignity.

"First heat?" he whispered, rutting against Eren's ass and letting his hand wander to fondle Eren's nipples through his shirt. The brunette squeaked sharply at the feeling. The alpha just chuckled, "That's alright," he sneered. Eren gasped as the man bit at his neck and cold, wet drool dribbled down his back. I'll be gentle, promise-"

     As the fucker's hand crept along Eren's torso, his final attempts at denial were shattered as the needy omega mind wailed and whimpered.

_Touch me! Touch me please...touch me more..._

But as the man's hands changed direction and began to fiddle with his belt, Eren's eyes snapped open.

_No. No! I won't let this happen!_

    Galvanized into action, Eren overcame his paralysis and slammed his elbow into the man's windpipe, crushing it. Before the unconscious body had even fallen to the ground, Eren had leapt away and was running back towards his home.

************************************************************

     Eren was pacing worriedly, but stopped abruptly as he heard the front door slam.

"Eren? Eren! I'm home," Grisha called.

     Sick to his stomach, Eren answered-

"Dinner's on the table, I'll be out in a minute."

     Wringing his hands and taking a deep breath, he listened to his father shuffling around in the dining room. How had he gotten so lucky? Grisha wasn't drunk...Thank god. That didn't make this easy, but at least he stood a chance of making it out of this alive. 

***********************************************************

"You...you're what?" Grisha asked, clearly confused.

     Eren drew in another shuddering breath, and choked the words out again. He didn't want to say them. Saying them meant this was real, but he needed to tell Grisha. It was now or never.

"I...When I went to school today, I felt really warm. I thought I had a fever, b-but then I...went into h-heat. I-I'm a-an omega...."

     Looking down at his hands, Eren was afraid to meet Grisha's eyes, but when he did, he was surprised. He wore an expression he hadn't in a while. Brows furrowed in concern, Grisha reached out a gentle hand towards Eren.

"Come here, son," he said softly.

     Eren complied, fearful of the consequences disobedience brought. But all Grisha did was pull him close. Holding him to his chest, he smoothed Eren's hair. 

"Shh...it's alright. We'll get through this. Together Eren, you hear me?"

     Eren nodded, more tears slipping down his face. He didn't know what was going on. But he didn't really care at this point. As long as someone held him. His whole word had been flipped upside-down in a matter of seconds, and in the moment, he was willing to just listen to the comforting steady beat of Grisha's heart. 

*********************************************************

 January 27 (Eren's POV)

     The next day, for the first time in a long time, Eren awoke in his bed, tucked in and surrounded by blankets. Pleasantly warm, he curled up tighter, drawing the blankets closer. Faintly, he heard the sounds of someone moving around in the kitchen. But his sleep fogged mind didn't really deem it important. Not when he was so warm, and safe.

"Eren!" Grisha's voice called from the kitchen, "I've made breakfast."

     Stomach rumbling suddenly, Eren sniffed the air, catching the deliciously mouth-watering smell of frying bacon and the wafting, gentler smell of fresh pancakes. Grabbing his blankets, he slowly made his way to the kitchen. Coming into the dinning room, Eren found the table laden with food, and the room well lit. Grisha wore a plain black apron and a small smile. 

"Eat," he said. 

     As Eren stuffed his mouth with food, Grisha watched. Eren sensed something was amiss.

"Is everything okay?" he asked through a mouthful of food.

    Grisha stared at him a moment longer before coming out of his trance.

"What? Oh, yes. Everything's fine...are you finished?"

     Scarfing down the rest of his pancakes, Eren nodded.

"Good," Grisha nodded, satisfied. Sitting himself across from Eren, he steepled his fingers. 

"Eren, there's something I"d like to tell you."

     Eren felt his full stomach churn.

"Y-yeah?"

"Yes. I did some research last night, and I have good news!" Grisha smiled.

      Eren grinned weakly, "I thought you seemed happy this morning..." he answered nervously.

"Indeed I am. It's not everyday that we get to have a wedding!"

*************************************************************************

     Hours later Eren still couldn't believe what had happened. His father had gone out...and found him someone to marry?! Who? What would they be like? Would this man treat him just the same way as the alpha in the alley had? Eren shuddered.  _Please, no._ Pulling up in front of the high-class shop in their black Subaru, Grisha found a parking place, and helped his son out of the car.

     Walking up the quaint little path, Eren saw roses and lilacs. But he couldn't enjoy them. He was far too anxious. Something was wrong. He knew it. Grisha was never this kind. No matter how overjoyed and comforted he was to have the father he knew back, Eren didn't trust him.

"Well, here we are," Grisha said, stopping in front of the grand doors.

"Y-yeah..." Eren responded cautiously.

     Grisha looked at his son with sympathy.

"Cheer up, Eren! They're not going to torture you. All they are going to do is fit you with an outfit for the wedding and do some medical testing to make sure you're healthy. Try not to stress too much okay? It's still a week away."

"Yeah," Eren muttered, looking dumbly down at the ground. Normally, Eren would have been pissed off and raging right now. His abomination of a dad was dumping him at some fancy-ass omega grooming house, leaving him there the whole fucking week, then marrying him off? Even with these thoughts though, there was nothing; only a sense of numbness and shock. Maybe the suppressants his father had administered to him this morning were throwing him off too?

     Turning away from his son, Grisha rang the door bell. Almost instantly an ecstatic, overbearing beta answered the door.

"Well hello there!" She said. "Oh!" she squealed, "You are so cute!"

     Eren's stress levels spiked. So much for staying calm.

Grisha smiled, "A moment with my son, please?" he asked politely.

"Oh, of course," answered the beta, backing off a little.

     Pulling his son into his arms, Grisha held Eren close.

"Eren, do you want to know a secret?" he sneered, tone dripping with fake sincerity

     Eren didn't respond. No, he didn't want to know.

"You _are_ a beta," Grisha hissed, "Or at least, you were...and... as for what I said earlier, about making some money? Well done."

     Reaching a hand into his pocket, Grisha pulled out a sizable wad of cash.

"And this is just the beginning. There's much more to come." 

    Pulling away, Grisha slipped the money back into his coat pocket; leaving Eren completely stunned. What did he mean?  _I_ am _a beta? But...I presented as an..._ All the blood drained from Eren's face as he recalled, inconveniently, what his father did for a living. Doctor Grisha Jeager was an a world renowned, brilliant DNA and genetic specialist... Mind rapidly supplying him images; Eren's eyes widened in horror at his conclusion. The cut....The cut had been much too clean to be a fingernail or knife. No. The gash on his side had to be the work of a scalpel. He  _was_ a beta! Eren felt hysteria rising in his chest. _He he. Not any more!_ Grisha had finally done it. He had exerted the ultimate display of control over Eren, by manipulating his secondary gender. Not only that, but he had found a way to pawn him off and make money...His father had trafficked him.

"Well, see you at the end of the week," Grisha said far too cheerfully, waving goodbye. 

    As everything clicked into place, Eren raised his eyes to glare at the man he once had trusted. The man he had foolishly run to, and fallen right into his trap. Grisha was waiting for this, however. And upon meeting his father's eyes, Eren's blood ran cold and froze in his veins. On his face, Grisha wore the most horribly disfigured, psychopathic smile Eren had ever seen. He didn't even look _human._ Eren shivered. He would never forget that smile. In years to come, he would wake up crying remembering it. And as his father walked away, despite the wrathful roaring beast inside of him, Eren could only whisper one word.

                                                                                                                                 "Abused."

 

  


	3. Politics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkIytYlDD_o

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is totally random. But I just want to say: HAPPY TITAN DAY!!!!!! OMG THE SECOND SEASON IS OUT AND I'M AM LOSING MY SANITY.  
> #Fangasm  
> #Levi'sHot  
> #GoWatch  
> #WouldBingeIfIcould  
> Alright. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm totally not. I needed to share my excitement with a community who would understand. Season two! *salutes* FOR HUMANITY!  
> Savvy_Angel is out! Gonna go watch me some Levi... ;)

     Levi growled in frustration as he angrily brushed away the hand's of the female beta styling his hair. Looking at his hair, he was mortified to find it curled.

"Really?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at the snickering beta, "What the hell Izzy!?"

Izzy, still holding the curling iron in one hand, held the other to her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter.

"Give me that!" Levi snapped, grabbing the iron's handle and skillfully using it to straighten out his hair. With that taken care of, he turned back to his friend.

"Why would you pull that kind of shit? You know we only have a few hours! Damn it Isabel!"

     Instantly, the pinkette stopped laughing. Levi, however, saw the corners of her mouth upturned and traces of mirth in her eyes.

"I wanted you to look good," she answered innocently, giggling.

"Yeah?" Levi retorted, "Why? There's not much to look good for. It's just a stupid wedding," he snapped, stalking away from her and beginning to pace around the small, studio-like room.

     Now Izzy sighed. Unplugging the iron, she walked over to the vanity, rearranging some of her brushes and fiddling with her various beauty products.

"That's exactly it, Levi. I wanted to see you smile," she answered.

     At the tone in her voice, Levi's head snapped over to her, gaze burning holes into his friend. Her voice....It contained for too much pity for his liking, but upon meeting Isabel's eyes, he only found sadness in those green depths.

"I guess it didn't work, huh?" she asked, turning her head abruptly, shoulders slumping.

     Now Levi felt awful. His heart softened instantly at seeing Isabel hurt.

"Damn you," he chuckled softly.

     Izzy turned back around, hopeful.

Slowly, Levi walked over to her, before enveloping her in a warm hug. "You're one of the only people that will ever get me to feel even the slightest bit of hope Izzy."

Squeezing him tighter, Isabel was just about to burst. "Aw! Levi-bro!"

    And that's where things got to be a little too much.

"Alright," he choked out, "No more."

Detangling himself from Isabel, Levi gripped her shoulder tightly before nodding once. His eyes held a note of finality.

"It's time."

********************************************************

     Strolling casually outside, Levi instantly put on a smile. Stunning and brilliant, he waved as millions of flashes went off.  _That's right,_ he thought gritting his teeth,  _smile Levi. This is supposed to be a_ happy  _occasion. After all, it's not everyday that someone finds their mate- blah, blah, blah._ Clenching his jaw, Levi felt his control fading. When he felt he just couldn't maintain the grin, he let his features drop to default. He could have sighed. The feeling of smiling was foreign and unpleasant. It was much more natural to wear this face; this mask of carefully maintained boredom. It was a perfect facial expression, in Levi's opinion. When he looked bored he didn't have to be afraid; instead he was feared. It protected him from sadness; but provided the luxury of hurting others. He could control his temper; yet still put off an air of authority and power. But best of all, looking this cold, Levi couldn't get hurt. How could anyone hurt him when he didn't feel anything? If looking '100% done and shut-the-hell up' was as intimidating as Levi knew it was, he could pull any kind of shit he wanted. Which brought Levi as close to gleeful as he could possibly be. Or at least, what he imagined glee felt like. He was assuming the dark humor bitterness brought him was as close to joy as he would get.

     Levi blinked and took a quiet breath as he was brought out of his trance by a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't give up hope, Levi. I promise things will get better. Who knows, maybe you can build a life with this man..."

     Turning his head, he found himself looking at Izzy.

Darkly, he responded, "Izzy, if you think I still had hope before this, you are wrong. I don't have any hope left to give up. As for optimism, please don't try to console me with promises you can't keep. We both know I hate lies. And regarding who ever I'm about to see down that aisle," Levi gestured one elegantly pale hand down the red carpet towards the alter, "He's just another name on a list of betrayals."

********************************************************

"Do you, Levi Ackerman, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband to love and to protect, 'till death do you part?"

"I do," Levi responded monotonously. 

"Hold your hand over the crucifix and repeat after me-"

     At this point Eren had completely pulled away, retreating far off into the depths of his mind.  _What was going on? Was this really happening? Apparently._ After dropping him off at the reception house, Grisha had thankfully left him there the whole week, just as promised. The staff didn't mind, it almost seemed to be an expectation in fact. Which had made Eren angry. Was this how omegas were treated? Dropped off, forgotten, frightened and alone, auctioned away to the highest bidding alpha in need of a sex toy? Was this how _he_ was to be treated? Eren shuddered at the thought. Everything these past 2 weeks had send his world crashing down, and now he was almost willing to go back to the night this whole thing had started. The night when he never should have spoken. Compared to this entire mess, a beating from Grisha definitely seemed the lesser of two evils. At least that was normal, something he could expect. Instead, he had presented as an omega, been trafficked into what was probably just a high-profile, aristocratic sex trade, sold to...this...person; whom he had only seen today! Damn it! He didn't even get the luxury of meeting Levi before all this happened? Nope. Instead, he was thrust into a room with a _clearly_ dominant and powerful alpha who Eren, despite his best efforts, couldn't help but be attracted to. He didn't even know this man! God, this was frustrating. Were Grisha and his cohorts trying to throw him off balance? Were they trying to put his world to shit? Admittedly, the life he lead was cruel and rife with misery, but it at least had  _some_ semblance of order. This...Eren didn't even know how to feel or what to think. The last time he had been this shocked, was when his mother had died...Eren felt tears trickle at the corners of his eyes.

"Ahem," the priest coughed slightly, catching Eren's attention. Snapping out of his reverie, he was embarrassed to find every eye on him. _Oh no...what was he supposed to say?_ He tried to play it off.

"Sorry," he said, delicately wiping his tears away, smiling sheepishly, "I-I was just thinking how happy my mother would be...if she were here."

     Rings of sighs and soft, sympathetic croons rose up from the assembled crowd. Eren held back a smile; they had fallen so easily into his trap. Even the priest's eyes softened.

"Well, she's in a better place now."

     Pain lanced Eren's heart. _I know._

 "All you need to say, is 'I do', Eren," the man prompted gently. 

"Of course," Eren answered, keeping up his deceitful innocence, "I do," he spoke sweetly, sliding the ring onto Levi's third finger. After placing it there, he looked up, only to be met with cold steely eyes. He shivered. He hadn't fooled Levi. 

     After what seemed like eternity, the doors to the chapel were finally opened, and Eren walked out arm-in-arm with his... _husband._ He was a married man. What the hell did that even encompass? He was only 18! Hardly ready to raise children. Kids. Oh Lord. As soon as they got home...Levi was going to rape him and make him have his babies. Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god oh god...His inner monologue were once again shattered as a subtle elbow rammed his ribs. It was Levi. Between clenched teeth, he hissed-

"Smile."

     Eren did as best as he could, but this was getting to be exhausting. He only hoped this man would give him luxury of just talking it all out so that Eren could start to try and process. 

**********************************************************************************

     The night grew late. When the reception was finally over, the guests finally greeted then sent home, and the gifts properly collected, assessed, and if necessary, thrown away; Levi lead Eren out to the awaiting black Tesla S. Eren was grateful when Levi had the good grace to open the door for him, and numbly, he muttered a drowsy 'thank you' before clambering into the car. The door slammed shut behind him with a definite ' _thud!'_. Levi elegantly sat himself in the back also, on the opposite side from Eren with the middle seat between them. Seeing this, Eren's omega whined.

_Shut up you. You chose to show up now? I'm fucking tired, so, take a hike!_

   That was pretty effective. Eren reigned in his attention as Levi's deep timbre filled the car, instructing the driver to take him to the penthouse. All thoughts of neediness from the omega instantly disappeared; replaced with fear. At this, Levi instinctively turned. 

"We need to talk," he said, addressing Eren directly for the first time.

     Eren nodded and gulped. All his horrible thoughts from earlier came flooding back. He wasn't Levi's husband. He was Levi's toy...

"Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong." Levi spoke curtly, cutting through the silence and bringing Eren's racing mind to a halt. 

     Leaning forward, Levi clicked a hidden button, and a tinted partition slid up between them and the driver. Turning back to Eren, he wrinkled his nose.

"You don't need to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. Besides, the smell of distressed omega is pungent."

     Rubbing his neck self-consciously, he inconveniently remembered that he put out a scent now. But that aside, Eren's temper flared at what the alpha had said.  _Omega? So what, you can't even call me by my name?_

"Well, it would help if I knew your name..."

    Eren didn't remember saying that out loud.

"It's Eren..." he said cautiously.

"Mine's Levi," the other man supplied. As if Eren didn't already know. 

"Alright," he said, crossing one leg over the other, "Now to the messy stuff. There's a few things you need to know. I'm not in love with you. I'm not your mate, I'm not your husband, and we aren't going to have kids. I don't care what you want, no kids. I don't care what you do, as long as you pull your weight and don't recklessly spend my money. You can't do anything that might damage my reputation, but other than that, I don't give a single shit."

     Eren almost laughed. The word 'shit' coming out of Levi's mouth was at odds with how professional the man looked.

But still he continued, "You can't have an affair, because I'll have to spend tons of money cleaning that up. Do you understand me? You cannot have a lover. Infidelity will not be tolerated."

     Eren nodded, trying not to recoil from the strong, hostile scent Levi was exuding. 

"Don't mess up my house, you break it you buy it, you pitch in with cleaning, go to school, get a job. I don't care. Just don't interfere with my life, and I won't interfere with yours," Levi thought for a moment, making sure he hadn't missed anything. "Oh, one more thing. I'm not a 'warm and fuzzy' alpha. Don't expect cuddles or anything. I'll protect you, but I'm not going to have sex with you."

     Eren let out a sigh of relief, Levi, meanwhile, arched an eyebrow.

"I take it you don't want sex then?" he asked.

"I-I don't know what I want at this point anymore," Eren responded, "I presented only a week and a half ago, and I'm still in shock to be honest."

     Levi's eyes widened at the confession. It was the most expression Eren had seen on his face thus far. 

"Only last week?...I mean, Kenny told me you recently presented but I didn't think he meant-"

     He paused. Eren watched with interest. Something was conflicting inside this man; he could tell. What was it he saw in those deep gunmetal eyes? Regret? Worry? Apology? He didn't have long to figure it out, Levi's eyes quickly glazed over and went cold again; as if he had an autopilot take over.

"I don't care. I'm not your alpha, you aren't my omega. As far as I'm concerned, we just happen to live together."

**********************************************

Eren's POV     

     Upon arriving, Levi helped me out of the car, and without waiting, made his way inside the deluxe apartment building. My mind was reeling, I was still confused and ready to pass out; but I felt a little safer.  _He's not going to rape me._ Of all the things I've experienced, that was the one thing I was sure I could never come back from. People had always told me I was resilient, and up until the idea of getting raped crossed my mind, I had believed them. But I was far weaker than they thought, and much more vulnerable than I knew. I followed after Levi quickly. He seemed like the kind of person who would probably be willing to lock me out and make me sleep in the hall. Climbing into the elevator, not a word was spoken until we reached his floor. 

     Removing keys from his pocket, he opened the door. 

"Kitchen's right there," he said, nodding towards the full sized kitchen complete with a bar. "Living room," he gestured to the room off to our left, "And down that hall is the bathroom, my bedroom, and a room I've prepared for you to have your heats in."

"Uh...where do I sleep?" I asked timidly, exhausted and just ready to collapse in bed.

     Levi rolled his eyes.

"On the couch," he retorted, "No, in my room."

Padding softly down the hall together, the domestic omega rolled onto its back in a show of total submission. Whining and pleading, it told me I would feel _so_ much better if I held Levi's hand. I won't deny that I was considering the idea very seriously before Levi stopped at his bedroom door. He sniffed delicately.

"What is that?"

I chuckled nervously, "What is what?" Oh no. He had picked up on my arousal.

Turning to me, all I got was a blank stare, and a rush of sedating, sterile scent. Like that of a hospital. I shivered at how cold and empty it left me feeling. While I certainly wanted to be calm, I didn't want him to be detached from me. Again, the omega whined. It seemed to do that a lot. _Make alpha want us! Be desirable. Mate. Breed. Babies. No alpha, no love. No love, no cuddles. No cuddles, death!_

     Shaking my head to clear it of the chant 'alpha' ringing through my mind, I grabbed clothes out of the duffel bag that had been packed and ready at the reception house. Pulling out a pair of silky soft pajamas, I went into the bathroom to change. As I did, I felt a twinge of annoyance in the air. What? Was he angry with me? Did he want me to change in the room with him? Deciding not to delve into anymore questions tonight, I sighed happily as the smooth material gently embraced my sensitive skin. Once I had finished I fell tiredly onto his bed. Mmm...it was so soft and good smelling...

*************************************************

Levi's POV 

     I hate social events. I hate any type of gathering with more than 6 people, tops. So of course Kenny threw me a 'party-of-the-century' wedding. Damn him. Damn all of this. As soon as I had seen Eren, I knew Kenny had been unfair to me. He had said my 'mystery mate' was to be a surprise, and that he wanted to 'leave it to me to assess his beauty.' Bastard. I just fucking married an 18 year old. I mean, I'm only 22, but he could have said  _something_ to keep my jaw from falling to the ground upon seeing the teenager. And that was only part of the shock. The other half stemmed from the fact that Eren was devilishly attractive, not including the gorgeous scent he exuded. Thankfully, I had thought things through and brought a nasal spray that would dull my sense of smell. That was a godsend. Ugh. Damn. It's not as if I wanted to like him, but unfortunately, I was finding myself desperately drawn to this man; which simply wouldn't do. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. In order to keep Eren away from the walls I had so carefully and painstakingly constructed for myself, I was going to have to be  _brutal_ to drive him away. The thought didn't give me any pleasure, but I was more of a coward than anyone knew. And I'd rather live in self-induced misery, than place my vulnerable heart into hands that would tear it to pieces. 

     Driving him away was already proving to be quite the task. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen his pupils dilate upon seeing me. It wasn't as if I didn't know he was facing the exact same problem: attraction towards a stranger. For a moment, my heart had given hopeful flutters. _Maybe, just maybe, he can learn to_....all hope was shattered, as soon I as scented his fear at being alone with me in the car. But hell, I couldn't blame him. I'd be frightened too. Unfortunately, however, his fear had awoken the alpha, who growled and snapped and demanded that I take that man into my arms right then and there and cuddle away all discomfort. Damn instincts. 

     I sighed. This wasn't getting anywhere. As much as I hated touchy-feel-y conversations of any kind, I knew some discussion was in order. I mean, for God's sake, the kid looked like he was in fucking shock. I decided tomorrow would be an excellent time to hold said conversation, because I was damn tired. Still, I forced myself to change, brush, wash my face, and write a quick journal entry before finally crawling into bed. 

     I climbed in as carefully as I could manage, not wanting to disturb the irritatingly adorable Eren.  _Fuck! Did I just acknowledge that he's...cute? Hell no._ Even that thought didn't keep me from smiling slightly at the way he had flopped onto the bed, his chocolate hair sprawling over the white pillow case. ' _He's so so cute!'_   The alpha squealed. I just frowned.

_Shut up you._

   I tensed, as I felt the figure next to me move and shift. Damn...it was gonna take a while to get used to this...Lowering myself quietly, I finally laid down after waiting a minute to make sure he was truly asleep. I was just about to turn out the light when-

"Levi...why did you choose me? Especially if you didn't want me? Why are we married if you didn't want to?"

   I had no idea how to respond without it turning very lengthy, so I came up with the coldest conversation-stopping answer I could at the moment. 

"I didn't choose you. My uncle did," I spat, "We are only married in the name of politics. It's all for show, kid. Don't get too close," and with that, I flipped the switch, snuffing out the light. I cringed internally at what I had just said, and tried to ignore the slight, yet distinct scent of pain that emanated from Eren.

_All for show. Married for politics. Together for advantage...we aren't any better than animals._


	4. Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. So, I've decided to post all that I have for chapter 4 currently. I'm sorry. I know it's not long and it's taken a lot longer than I promised to put it up; but I hope that this short blurb will be enough for now. Currently, this introverted author is feeling pretty lonely. It's difficult for me to write when I can't even focus for two seconds and my head is just a swirling storm. I'm not going to get too deep into this because I'm not trying to solicit pity. I just want you guys to know what's going on. Anyway, thanks for your patience and support. I feel like shit for asking, but anyone that reads this, could you please just leave a smilely face in the comments? I could use some smiles right now. Thanks. Hopefully I'll be inspired to write soon.

Eren’s POV

     Gentle light filtered through a slit in the heavy drapes, touching my nose and creeping under my eyelids. Growling, I grabbed the covers and pulled them higher. The sun’s cheerful rays were not appreciated. Flipping over, I reached my arm out searching for something to hold.  _ Huh.  _ Upon not finding anyone, I was confused. The bed was warm, so I knew someone had been there. Regardless of my bewilderment, I was still content. It had been a long time since I had come home.

     Sighing happily, I grabbed a soft satin pillow and nuzzled it. Maybe Mom had gone to make breakfast. She had probably been sleeping with me after a nightmare. As if to confirm my suspicions, the delicious scent of crepes, cherry sauce, and french vanilla coffee wafted into my bedroom. Nothing got me out of bed faster than Mom’s homemade meals.

     Wandering into the kitchen sleepily with my blanket still wrapped around my shoulders, I rubbed my eyes tiredly and sat on the tall stools lined up neatly at the island. With the cold seat under my rear, it wasn’t long until I was mostly functional. Opening my eyes wider, I went to greet my mother a good morning; only to find she wasn’t there. 

     What I saw instead baffled me even more. A short, shirtless, black-haired man stood at the stove. He wore loose sweatpants and had a plain black apron wrapped around his bare and muscled torso. In his hand, he held a spatula which was currently engaged in delicately flipping over a crepe. One thing I knew for certain. This was  _ not  _ my mother. 

     Nervously, I fidgeted with my blanket. Who was this strange man? Why was he in our house? I was about to call out for Dad when intruder, alerted to my presence by unknown means, turned to face me. My illusion shattered suddenly and reality rushed to meet me as everything fell into place. Staring into those deep gray eyes, I remembered. My name is Eren Jaeger. I’m a newly presented omega. My dad is an abusive asshole who sold me into some high class sex trade. This man is Levi. He’s my… husband. And he doesn’t love me. Me mom is dead. I flinched at these last two ideas, then wondered why. What’s it matter that Levi doesn’t like me? I don’t like him either. 

     Before I could spend anymore time pondering on this, Levi’s sharp voice cut through the room.

“Are you going to eat? Or keep sitting there looking constipated?”

     Coming back to the present, I blushed and hurriedly looked away as Levi pushed a fine china plate laden with crepes toward me.

“Eat,” he commanded.

     When he had turned back to the stove, I happily complied, stuffing my mouth full of the warm, sweet pastry. Forgetting Levi’s admonishment in favor of indulging the omega, I let my eyes wander over his back. Lean and slender, Levi’s body was toned with beautifully taut muscles. He was like a perfectly chiseled statue dipped in milk chocolate.  _ Mmmmh.  _ I licked my lips, thinking about what it would be like to lick that pale silky skin until Levi panted underneath me. What would he taste like? I bet his skin would feel soft. Just like satin. I shivered and kept looking, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning.


End file.
